Closure



N0v.12, 1940. E VALENTENE i 2,221,120

CLOSURE Filed Feb. 5., 1940 INVENTORS fos/SPH E.' Km fwn/v5.

Patented Nov. 12, 1940 PATENT OFFICE cLosURE Joseph E. Valentine, Plainfield, N. J., assigner to Oxzyn Sales Company, a corporation of New Jersey v A- .1,

Application-gebrui@ 5, 1940, serial 10,317,416

'5 claims. v(c1. 13a-78.5)

Thisinvention relates to closures, and more particularly to decorative closures forsuch articles as powder puffs and the like, andjas'such iis yan improvement upon my prior Patent 1,813,518 of July 7, 1931.

The object-s of the invention are: to provide an improved closure which will enhance the appearance of the article; to provide an improved closure for a flexible article which has to be turned inside out through an opening before effecting the sealing of the opening by the closure; to provide a closure of the character indicated which will enable contrast of color to be obtained thereby in a powder puff or the like; to minimize the parts necessary; to minimize time, operations and diiculties in the steps of assembly; to obtain an app-earance of shirring of the fabric around the closure; to avoid hand stitching of the article or closure in effecting the final seal; to provide a method of manufacture which will increase output and lower costs and yet produce an article of improved character; to employ a part in making the closure which will add to the firmness of the mid-portion of a powder puff or the like for holding purposes; and to secure other advantages and results as may be brought out in the following description.

Referring to. the accompanying drawing in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a powder puff embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a similar perspective View with the powder puff partially assembled;

Figure 3 is a similar perspective view puff ready to begin assembly;

Figure 4 is a sectional view on line 4-4 of Figure 2, but with the cap in place ready to be secured;

Figure 5 is a sectional view on line 5--5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the .preferred form of ring or collar as it appears after being crimped in place; Y

Figure 7 is a perspective View of a modified construction of powder puff with a ruff around the closure;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the several parts, one above the next in order of assembly, which areV used in effecting the closure of Figure 'l Figures 9 and 10 are sections and Figure 11 a plan of three different forms of ring or collar which may be employed in the assembly of the closure.

In the specific embodiment of theiinvention illustrated in said drawing, the article which is to be sealed by the closure is shown to be a powder puff of the type which provides a front or powderapplying member I5 and a back member I 6 of with the `holding those parts assembled.

4kjury to the. fabric.

silk or other suitable fabric or material. The front member is some such material as pilefabric, lamb-skin or the like. In the manufacture of powder-puffs and the like, it is common f practice to place the twov members face to face, wrong sidel out andF rightside-in.` YAccordingly the pile surface of the front membery is first placed toward the'v ultimate outside surface ofthe back member andthe two members stitched entirely -around their juxtaposed peripheries. In order to be enabled to thereafter turn the mem- Ibers right side out, criss-cross slits -`i'I are cut in the back member at the center thereof,`thus establishing a central opening. lThis openingmust be closed in order to provide thepowder puff witha finished appearance, and the problem of vecor'1omically,-and at the Sametime pleasingly,

to the present configuration is of` right-angle cross-section. That lis to say, the ring provides a flat base'ring lportion I9 from the outer periphery of which-is an'upstanding wall or cylindrical portion 20.

The ring or collar isf preferab-ly of a bendable metal, such as thin aluminum or other'metal or alloy which -can be ultimately crimped without injury to the fabric or other materials used in the powder-puff. The ring is also of slightly greater diameter thanl the length of either-"slit II,-and may be inserted into the puff` (after the vpuff is turnedright side out.) by appropriate dis- Ator'ition of the fabric of the back memberqduring 'the insertion. The ring is centered with respect.

to the puff and slits with the upstandingwall -2II ofthe ring-making Vedge engagement under the inside surface of the back member. Thereafter a flat disc or cap 2l of appropriate size Ato t within the upstanding'wall 2i] but too large to pass through the base portion I9, is pressed into the ring (see Figures 2 and 4) thereby includi ving the portion of the back material contiguous to the slits between the cap` and ring. The slits are accordingly hidden-by the cap. 'Thereafter the upstanding wall is crimped inward, thereby gripping the back `material and cap and securely The crimping of the side wall preferably ac'- complished by a suitable die, and as'the backv material overlies the edge of the ring, it `isles'- sential to use material for the ring which will respond to the pressureof the die without in- Thede mayhave appropriate shape to apply the desired form of Ycrimping, and according to the presentshowing the crimping is preferably serrated or wavy, as represented by Figures 1, 5 and 6. By sol crimping the ring or collar, there is not only less likelihood of damaging the material of the back member, but the said material is given a desirable appearance of shirring toward the center, as shown.

'Ihe cap 2| may be made of suitable material such as a cardboard base 22 suitably faced, as at 23, with fabric or other facing material and is conducive to contrast in color or other decorative finish to the body portion of the puff. The cap is furthermore a convenient unit which can be readily printed with appropriate lettering, such for instance, as by an initial 24 where the same is desired. The ring and cap when gripped in the finished puff furthermore provide a desirable firmness to the mid-portion of the puff for holding purposes by the user. Very little slow or tedious hand work is required in manufacture, and as the puif is thereby largely a machinemade product, its cost is comparatively low to puffs now being marketed.

Referring now to Figures '7 and 8 more particularly, the essential elements above described are present, and like numerals of reference have accordingly been applied. This showing adds a ruff* 25. Such ruff is preferably fabricated as a disc or other member of greater size than the cap and of a pliable material, such as a sized or starched fabric, a cellulose material, crepe or other paper, and the like. This member is applied, in manufacture of the puff, over the central portion of the pul back member after the collar has been properly situated in the puff. Then cap 2| is pressed into place, situating the mid portion of the ruff between the cap and collar but with the edges of the ruff projecting. Then the crimping die is applied, for crimping the collar and for also spreading the edge of the ruff outwardly away from the cap. The action of the die creases the ruff and in consequence of the creasing and semi-stiffness of the rui material, it retains the spread and shirred status to which it is pressed. The presence of the material of the ruff between the backing material of the puff and the die lessens the possible injurious effect of the die on the more delicate backing material. The ruff also presents additional possibilities of color combinations and will offer more aesthetic appeal to some purchasers than the plainer finish of puff not having the ruff.

While, in the foregoing description, use of metal for the ring, and use of fabric and other 'materials, have been specically mentioned for various parts recited, it is to be understoodmentioning of particular materials is only for purposes of illustration and are not used as restrictive terms. Furthermore, while a circular pull? and circular rings or collars have been shown, other shapes of those and other parts may be employed as found desirable.

In Figures 9, 10 and 11 are illustrated modified structures of ring, and any or all of the rings may be of soft rubber. In these figures, the upper portion of the ring is preferably given a normal inward slope to overlie the under or base portion of the ring. In Figure 9, the upper portion 26 of the ring is of approximately the same width as the lower portion 2l and is shown smooth both at its inner periphery and on its upper face. In use of this modified form, the back facing material of the puff will receive no shirring effect from the ring.

In Figure 10 the upper portion 28 of the ring also projects inwardly over the base portion 29 as in the'preceding modification. However, in this showing the upper face of the upper portion 28 is serrated, as at 3D, so that in the assembled pui the backing material will present a shirred effect.

In Figure 11, the upper portion 3| of the ring projects over the base portion 32 similar to descriptions above given, but in this instance the inwardly directed periphery of the upper portion is serrated, as at 33. This construction will also give the desired shirred effect to the back material of the puff.

Inasmuch as these rings of Figures 9, 10 and 11 are of pliable rubber, the upper portions 26, 28 and 3| respectively may be sprung outward to admit the cap, and will, by their resiliency return to normal position for retaining the assembled puif in its assembled condition. However, if found desirable, an adhesive may be applied to the inside surfaces of the rubber rings and/or to the under peripheral margin of the cap or elsewhere for assuring unseparability of parts.

I claim:

l. A closure for an opening in material of which a part of the material projects into the opening, a ring under the material around the opening, and a cap over the material and within the ring, said ring gripping the material above and below the cap at the peripheral margin thereof.

2. A closure for an opening in material of which a part of the material projects into the opening, a ring under the material around the opening, and a cap over the material and within the ring, said ring being pinched inwardly over the cap and thereby gripping the material above and below the cap at the peripheral margin of the cap.

3. A closure for an opening in material of which a part of the material projects into ,the opening, a ring under the material around the opening, and a cap over the material and within the ring, said ring being of metal and pinched at intervals therearound inwardly over the cap thereby obtaining a serrated surface on the ring and in the same material, the pinched portions of the ring gripping the material above and below the cap at the peripheral margin of the caps.

4. A closure for an opening in material of which a part of the material projects into the opening, a ring under the material around the opening, and a cap over the material and within the ring, said ring being of rubber and providing portions which are inherently resiliently pressed toward each other for gripping the material above and below the cap at the peripheral margin thereof.

5. A closure for an opening in material of which a part of the material projects into the opening, a ring under the material around the opening, a second piece of material larger than the ring and situated over the opening, and a cap over the mid-portion of the second piece of material and the opening, said cap being pressed into the ring, and said ring gripping the material having the opening as well as the second piece of material and cap, and the rim of the second piece of material extending outwardly away from the cap and forming a protection adjacent the ring for the material having the opening and also forming a ruif around the cap.

JOSEPH E. VALENTJNE. 

